The project is a study of the formation, operation, and effectiveness of ad hoc, nonprofessional self-help groups in dealing with mental health problems. The emergence of such groups is a significant development in the mental health field, but little or no systematic study of these groups has been done. The study consists of three phases: a developmental, exploratory phase to collect basic information about the number and varieties of such groups, their distribution in different settings, and to conduct preliminary observations which will aid in developing methodologies for systematic observation. The second phase will consist of naturalistic observation of groups in action, interviews with key informants, including group members and representatives of community power groups and human service organizations. The third phase will involve testing and cross-validation of hypotheses developed in the first two phases. It is anticipated that the study will yield increased understanding of natural helpgiving processes in everyday life which can be used to formulate more effective practices in the field of community mental health.